Ascent Co.

“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.”
– John Muir

There’s a moment on every hike, usually about an hour in, when the noise drops away.

The emails, the deadlines, the expectations, the invisible load we carry as women who lead… it all dissolves into the rhythm of boots on dirt. One foot forward. Then another. A pace that belongs entirely to you.

I’ve been hiking for more than 30 years, across Australia, Africa, Asia, and all the way to Everest Base Camp. And yet, the reason I keep returning to the trail has never changed. It’s the only place where I don’t have to perform. I don’t have to be “on.” I don’t have to be anything other than a woman moving through a landscape that asks nothing of me except presence.

Corporate life doesn’t give us many spaces like that.

We’re trained to anticipate, to deliver, to hold everything together. We’re rewarded for being composed, strategic, unshakeable. But the truth is: clarity rarely arrives in a meeting room. It arrives when the noise falls away. It arrives when you’re breathing hard on a climb, or walking along a meandering bushland trail, when your mind finally stops sprinting ahead, when the world narrows to the next step and the next breath.

That’s why I created Ascent Co.

Not to push women to their limits, but to give them a place where they can finally exhale. A place where adventure is safe, premium, and deeply human. A place where corporate women can hike without feeling unprepared, unsafe, or out of place. A place where comfort and challenge can coexist. Whether it’s a cosy hut, good food, a warm bed, or the option to push a little further if you want to.

I’ve spent my career in environmental science and climate policy, and that lens shapes everything I do. The trail isn’t just a backdrop, it’s a living system. Understanding the terrain, the weather, the risks, the ecosystem, it makes the experience richer, safer, and more respectful. It also means I can teach you why a landscape matters, not just how to walk through it.

This blog will be a mix of stories, practical wisdom, and reflections from the trail. What to pack. What to leave behind. What I learned at altitude. Why women walk differently when they feel safe. How movement builds resilience. And how hiking can quietly, steadily, change the way you lead.

If you’re a woman who carries a lot, responsibility, ambition, expectations, this space is for you.

Welcome to Ascent Co. Let’s take the next step together.